While the survey is only one question it has a dual purpose: determining what level of congestion is acceptable to citizens and how much, in additional user fees, taxes and other funding mechanisms people are willing to pay to maintain that level of congestion.

“We have identified almost $3,000,000,000 in transportation needs over the next 25 years,” said MPO Executive Director Daniel Rudge, “yet we only receive about $13 million each year from federal and state funding sources to respond to those needs.”

“Part of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) update process is to develop a realistic funding scenario so we can financially-constrain what projects are selected for construction,” added Rudge.
“To prevent additional congestion, we either have to accept that we need additional funding streams or about half of our commuting population has to commit to taking transit, teleworking or other ridesharing options.
No one wants us to become like Austin, so we need to decide now what we want to do about transportation or we will all be sitting in traffic for hours.”

Project Info

The project will install wider sidewalks, median improvements and upgrade traffic signals with improved pedestrian crossings and is expected to complete by the end of the year.

The first phase of work is between Spence and Bizzell Streets adjacent campus and includes an east bound lane closure along University Drive.
Pedestrians will be routed around the current work zone for safety.

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) is working with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to identify improvements needed at the Bush-Wellborn intersection.

Specific goals for the BWX, or Bush-Wellborn Crossing, include enhancing overall safety for the thousands of motorists,
bicyclists and pedestrians passing through the area daily while minimizing congestion at this critical intersection.

It’s a big challenge. Improvements proposed nearly a decade ago would require a minimum of two years of construction to complete,
with the Bush-Wellborn intersection partially or fully closed for at least six months of that time.

TxDOT and TTI are partnering to explore ways to minimize this disruption, and community input will be a meaningful part of this effort.
Over the last few months, TTI has collected comments, concerns and suggestions from the community regarding the Bush-Wellborn improvements.
This input is being considered as the intersection design, construction timeline and work zone mobility plans are reviewed.

Another round of community engagement will follow this fall to share project design options; construction staging and closure options;
the impact on businesses, adjacent neighborhoods the campus and the community; mobility strategies during construction; and other innovative opportunities.